Late Night Talk withAubrey Masango

Gogo Nokulinda Mkhize, Pietermaritzburg born sangoma, says the negativity, confusion and misinformation on ubizo (ancestral/creative/spiritual calling) needs to be addressed.

Mkhize who has recently became a Gobela (a sangoma who initiates those with ubizo) will host a talk on Ubizo, Mental Health and intergenerational Trauma, where she will explain the differences between ancestral calling and mental illness.

Mkhize says there are a lot of physiological and mental considerations to take into account when one undergoes intwaso (initiation).

She says a person may undergo spiritual, emotional and mental distress and trauma when their ancestors are communicating signs of calling.

What I will be talking about in the day is to look at the way in which ubizo presents itself and how is it similar or different to how
certain mental illnesses present themselves.

— Gogo Nokulinda Mkhize, sangoma

I have been diagnosed with a variety of mental health issues when it was actually ubizo that was the issue, and I have also suffered from a variety of mental issues directly linked to the work that I do.

— Gogo Nokulinda Mkhize, sangoma

Mkhize also explains how mental health is not addressed adequately in South Africa.